Traditional costumes and modern lifestyles
By iDivision
@iDivision (1412)
Latvia
October 20, 2010 3:27am CST
These days many people around the world wears the same style clothes, costumes and there is no difference you live in Europe or America or maybe even in some Asia and Africa city - we all try to follow actual dress code and buy clothing manufactured by single model.
But what about our national, regional and traditional costumes? Are they completely forgotten? Centuries ago our ancestors weared many different and for each region they lived in specific clothing. Now its hard to tell from where people came in airport, just by the way how their language sounds or by their race we can tell from which part of earth they arrived. Of course there still are many traditions left and there are nations which wears the same stuff their acestors did, but i believe such people slowly dissapearing under pressure of globalisation and urbanisation of world.
In my country we do not wear traditional clothes, only at some national hollydays and special celebrations. But we are nation of singers and dancers, so there is one event when all participants wear only traditional costumes - its called Latvia Song and Dance Festival which is celebrated separately - once in 4 years youth song and dance festival and once in 4 years adult song and dance festival. Thats the time when those who sing or dance wear traditional latvian clothes. they do so at all concerts too.
So here is one grat example - Latvia youth song and dance festival 2010 full concert playlist. http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=014E3B90642AED71
Check it out and see what they looks like, our traditional costumes.
Do you have any celebrations in your country when participants wear traditional clothes?
2 responses
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
20 Oct 10
Hi iDivision,
Even if your link didn't work, I looked for some Latvian songs and dances and, so far, it seems to me that Latvian folk dances are somehow similar to German ones. Correct me if I'm wrong.
In my country there are a lot of manifestations where participants wear traditional costumes. First there are the numerous concerts, contests and festivals. Here's a link to a video from a folk music festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAh-sU_5T28&feature=related
There are also traditional weddings that took place in small comunities, in the country, where some people wear tratidional costumes, especially the elders.
There are regions where elders still wear traditional costumes every day, you may see them through villages near Sibiu, in the Apuseni Mountains or Maramures, Bucovina.
When people celebrate some traditional holidays like Rusalii, or Christmas, or New Year, there are also a lot of national costumes and traditions displays: Calusarii (which is a traditional well known men dance), Colindatul (the caroling), Steaua ( the star caroling), Capra (the goat tradition) and many more.
Here's a photo taken in Timisoara nowadays, when some young people went caroling in the center of the city.
@iDivision (1412)
• Latvia
20 Oct 10
1. Many thanks for your comment.
2. I checked it out - my link works fine, the same as yours ;)
3. Our folk dances are not the same as germans, but somewhat similiar is for all north, central and east European nations dances i think. Our latvian folk dances and music are based in paganism, rituals etc., while i cant say the same about germans.
4. You must be proud that your nation have such traditions and keep them alive even if its only at celebrations :)
5. as of for link i gave - its something special for us, three baltic republics since we have so massive song and dance festivals which is also accepted in UNESCO as world heritage :)
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
20 Oct 10
1. You're welcome, I have thought that national songs, dances and costumes could be a good subject for a discussion for long time ago. I'm glad you started this discussion, but it seems there aren't too many users interested in this subject.
2. I'm sorry. I've tried to see the video from your link on other computers and the result is the same. Your link leads to your videos, but that list can be seen only by its owner. Try to logout youtube and then see if your link still works.
Maybe if you view the list with your videos when you are logged off, you can post the right link to them. I'd like to see your videos, I really like folk music and I'd like to learn about other peoples' traditions.
3. I've told you, I had only seen only few videos with Latvian dances, and my first impression was they resemble to the German folk dances. It seems I was wrong.
Yet, it's not unusual that some regions' dances to resemble other peoples' dances. Look, in Romania, influences from surrounding countries can be seen in many regions: in Dobrogea, folk dances resemble those from Turkey, in Ardeal there are dances that resemble those from Hungary and so on.
4. I am proud. I hope this traditions will survive even when my generation will be gone. This was one of the very few good things of the comunism in Romania - they encouraged keeping the traditions alive. When I was in elementary school, we had classes when we learned about traditions. I still have a national shirt (called ie in Romanian) sewn and embroidered by my hand. I'm very proud of my work.
5. You really made me curious about those videos. Please post again the link, I'd like to see them.
2. I'm sorry. I've tried to see the video from your link on other computers and the result is the same. Your link leads to your videos, but that list can be seen only by its owner. Try to logout youtube and then see if your link still works.
Maybe if you view the list with your videos when you are logged off, you can post the right link to them. I'd like to see your videos, I really like folk music and I'd like to learn about other peoples' traditions.
3. I've told you, I had only seen only few videos with Latvian dances, and my first impression was they resemble to the German folk dances. It seems I was wrong.
Yet, it's not unusual that some regions' dances to resemble other peoples' dances. Look, in Romania, influences from surrounding countries can be seen in many regions: in Dobrogea, folk dances resemble those from Turkey, in Ardeal there are dances that resemble those from Hungary and so on.
4. I am proud. I hope this traditions will survive even when my generation will be gone. This was one of the very few good things of the comunism in Romania - they encouraged keeping the traditions alive. When I was in elementary school, we had classes when we learned about traditions. I still have a national shirt (called ie in Romanian) sewn and embroidered by my hand. I'm very proud of my work.
5. You really made me curious about those videos. Please post again the link, I'd like to see them.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Oct 10
Other than native Americans, no, although there are a lot of ethnic celebrations for people from lots of different countries, people who have immigrated here or whose ancestors have.
